There should be more to an Oscar Nom that losing weight

Felt the same way actually.

I LOVE Matthew McConaughey but this wasn't even his best performance of the year, much less of his career. For his best of the year look no further than the all-but-forgotten Mud. For his career high I'd say Killer Joe.

But this film undeniably panders to the academy which has sort of taken the place of Michael Bay fans as the lowest common denominator, in my opinion. They are so predictable. I didn't even have to see this one to know it would get noms left and right. It was a good film but one of the 9 best of the year? Not so sure about that. And Matthew McConaughey's performance certainly wasn't top 5. Tom Hanks in Capt. Phillips, Matthew McCanaughey in Mud and Robert Redford in All is Lost all come to mind. Even Steve Coogan in Philomena I found a bit better.

Did you actually see the film or just watch the trailer? Hard to believe you did and were not devastated by his performance. Matthew and Jared's pas-de-deux was exquisite. I would never have suspected what extraordinary actors they were before seeing this film.

Most of the films I've seen this year (in particular the overhyped "American Hustle") fade from memory the minute you leave the theatre.

This one haunts me and will for a long time.

Well, see it as you will, but I totally disagree with your assessment!
All I can tell you is that I found his portrayal to be utterly convincing, intense and absorbing. I don't know how he could have done it better - his performance lacked nothing, in my opinion. Loved him in Wolf of Wall Street as well.

I agree, and not just about losing weight but going through any physical changes and thinking that is the same thing as an award-worthy performance. It's not.

I've had this same problem with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale for years. They are committed to their roles, certainly, but the physical transformations and heavy makeup are not the same thing as becoming your character if you play the part the same way you play everything else. Those two actors, for example, are fine and consistently solid, but they never stretch themselves. I was disappointed with Bale's Oscar nod for American Hustle because it's Bale playing Bale, only fat and with a combover.

Same here with Matthew. He lost a ton of weight but he still doesn't have that emotional depth to bring to the character. It was just Matthew being Matthew, only skinny.

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are you saying that the character in the film is nothing more than Matthew McConaghey, but skinny? Yeah, i'd have to disagree with you on that one, guy.

The fact that you think the film character acts like Matthew McConaghey is probably an even bigger testament to the job Matthew did, because the 2 people (the character and the real Matthew) are nothing alike. They don't talk alike, act alike, move alike, think alike

But was there a lot of depth to Ron Woodroof (at least as portrayed in this screenplay)? It didn't seem like it to me. I think he did a great job for what was needed.

Also, it was more than just "losing weight." He lost so much weight that it was unhealthy. Add to that, he was probably malnourished and had to act with that poor condition of health. This article says he was 143 lbs. at 6'.

http://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/matthew-mcconaughey-dallas-buye rs-club-weight-loss-diary

To me, that's pretty significant and symbolic of the physical and metal toll Woodroof himself no doubt experienced while fighting his battles.

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You must've fallen asleep at the beginning of the movie...or maybe you're letting his past bad romcoms color your judgment. He has always been an exceptional actor, and has lately been more careful in the choices he makes in picking roles that he can really shine in. When I watched this movie, I looked past the weight loss and saw so many layers, so many scenes where he was so outstanding, there is no other person who was more deserving of the Oscar than him.